Aeroplane control means



Patented Apr. 20, 1926. I

UNITED STATES HENRY A. DU1\TCAN, F COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS.

AEROPLANE CONTROL MEANS.

Application'flled October 23, 1925. .Serial No. 84,885.

--and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Control Means, specification.

My present invention pertains to control means for aeroplanes, and contemplates a step forward in the art by the provision of control means through the medium of which an aviator is enabled with his hand to manipulate the rudder, the elevators, and the ailerons.

Improvements in Aeroplane of which the following is a To the attainment of the foregoing, the

invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed. In the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification Figure 1 is a plan view illustrative of the application of my improvement to so much an aeroplane clear said application. 7

Figure 2 1s a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, thesectional part be ing taken approximately'in the plane indicated by/the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation with a portion in longitudinal vertical section.'

Similar numerals of reference designate I show in F1gure 1 a frame including sides 1- and a floor 2, the said'frame being incor porated in orfixed'to the fuselage .of an aeroplane and the floor 2 referred to being lfiy preference, the cock pit floor in said so a and it will be understood that the said rudders 3 and elevators 4 are located on the aeroplane in the conventional manner or in any other manner compatible with the b vpurpose of my lnvention. Figure 1 will also be found to contain cables 5 which are 4 designed to leadtoailerons which latter,

however, are not illustrated, it the purview of my invention to employ -a1lerons of any suitable character, mounted in any appropriate manner on 5 shaft 6 is journaled herance of--my invention a rock is equipped with, a crank arm as 1s necessary to make,

I al a show a rudder 3 "and elevators 4,

ailerons will ticed here that the flexible shaft portion 21 being within the aeroplane.

the tubu in-the frame sides 1,'and 7, Figure 3, f and-1s also provided with T-heads 8, the extremities of' the latter being connected through cables 9 with the elevators 4, whereby swing'able movement of the elevators will attend rocking movement of the shaft 6.

Journaled in fore and aftlongitudinally disposed bearings 10 and 11 in the fuselage are rock shaft portions 12.and;13, said shaft portions for the sake of lightness being prefthe said upright 18 is an upright rock shaft- 19with a T-head handle 20 at its upper end.

At its lower end the said rock shaft 19 is appropriately connected with a flexible shaft 21, the said shaft 21 being connected at its lower end to an appropriately mounted rockable member 22 on which is a T-head 23. SaidT-head 23 has its end portion by crossed cables 24 with the rudder. 3, the crossing of the cables 24 being resorted to in order to assure the turning of the aeroplane or the'deflection thereof in the direction in which the lever or T-head 20 is manifestly desirable: v

Connected to and extending forwardly from the beforemen'tioned crank arm 7 is a rodv 30, having at its forward'end a bifurcated portion 31, pivotally connected at 32 to the tubular upright 18. By virtue of this provision it will be manifest that when the yoke 17 andthe tubular upright 18 are swung as 'a unit in the direction of the length of the aeroplane, adjustment of the elevators will attend the said movements of the elements 17 and 18.

On lateral movement of the yoke 17, tuular upright 18, shaft portions 12 and 13, and the upri ht arm 14, adjustment of the e effected, and it will be nowhile constituting an adequate connection for the transmission of motion to the rudder connected is swung, as

3, .will readily lend itself to the fore and aft swinging movement of the yoke 17, and I ,ar shaft 18,- aswell eral arms-1'.

as to the latswinging or rocking movement of the shaft portions 12 and.13, yoke 17, tubular upright'18 and 4 An important characteristic of my novel control means resides in the fact that it is only necessary for the aviator to use his handill the manipulation of the rudder, the elevators and the ailerons.

Notwithstanding the capacity of function ascribed to my novel means as shown and described, it will be readily noted that the embodiment illustrated is compact, light in weight, strong, and not likely to become deranged, and from this it follows that my improved means will readily lend itself to aeroplane construction.

I have specifically described, the construction and relative arrangement of the elements in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full clear, and exact understanding of said embodiment. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to said construction and relative arrangement of the parts, my invention being defined by my appended claims within the scope of which structural changes and changes in arrangement may be made without involving departure from my invention. For instance while I prefer to employ ball and socket joints between the elements 30, on the one hand, and the yoke 31 and crank 7 on the other, as shown in Figure 1, I may employ atv said points any connections consonant with the purpose of my invention without affecting the latter.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, 1s:-

1 Aeroplane control means comprising fore and aft rock- ,shaft portions, bearings therefor, an arm on the forward rock shaft portion and adapted to be connected with ailerons, a ring joining said rock shaft portions, anupright tubular portion having a yoke at its lower end pivotally connected to a shaft journaled in said tubular said ring, portion and having a handle at its upper end, a flexible shaft connected to the lower end of said shaft in the tubular portion, a T-head connected with the lower portion of the flexible shaft and adapted to be connected with a rudder, a rock shaft having arms adapted to be connected with elevators, said shaft also having a crank, and a rod connection between said crank and said tubular upright portion.

2. Aeroplane control means comprising fore and aft rock shaft portions, bearings therefor, an arm on the forward rock shaft portion and adapted to be connected with ailerons, a ring joining said rock shaft portions, an upright tubular portion having a yoke at its lower end pivotally connected to said ring, a shaft journaled in said tubular portion and having a handle at its upper end, a flexible shaft connected to the lower end of said shaft in the tubular portion, a T-head connected with the lower portion of the flexible shaft and adapted to be connected with a rudder, a rock shaft having arms adapted to be connected with elevators, said shaft also having a crank, and a rod connection between said crank and said tubular upright portion; the said rock shaft portions-being of tubular form, and the said flexible shaft being connected with the T- head in connection with the rudder through the medium of a rockable member.

3. Aeroplane control means comprising a rockable member, a tubular ortion swingably connected with said roe able member, turnable means extending through the said tubular portion, means for connection with a rudder, and a flexible shaft disposed within the rockable member and interposed between and connecting the turnable means and the means for connection with said rudder.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. I

. HENRY A. DUNCAN. 

